Acquisition of information adaptable for electronic processing applications directly from printed original documents has become greatly desirable as an adjunct to electronic document production. An important reason for its desirability is the subsequent capability of manipulation of the electronically stored information for editing, compiling and using the information in forms other than that in which it was originally available. While such manipulation is, of course, available for image information produced originally and available in an electronic format, it is desirable to have a similar capability for image information not so available. One particular application for such capability is speech reproduction from printed text.
It has become desirable to provide arrangements allowing easier document handling, particularly adapted to applications of input scanners. In the application of speech reproduction from printed text, a particular document handling requirement is the provision of an arrangement which facilitates registration and support of bound documents for scanning. By bound documents, we refer primarily to books, but include other multi-sheet documents which are bound in some manner. Good registration is important, as the OCR capability of such devices provide best results when characters are oriented along the fast or slow scan axis of scanning. Support of bound documents is important so that a user is not required to hold the book in place for scanning and so the document may be scanned without damage to the binding. Additionally, the arrangement should allow the book to be supported so that text in the margins close to the binding is visible and within the depth of field range of the scanner.
Book edges on copying machines, and presumably scanners, are known primarily for the purpose of preventing breaking the binding as it is held open to allow scanning of each page to a position as close to the binding as possible. Generally these arrangements provide a platen supported horizontally with respect to a support surface, with an edge meeting a side wall arranged to allow the book to be draped over the side of the machine. See, for example Xerox Disclosure Journal, "Book Copying Apparatus", by V. Agarawal, Vol. 9, No. 6, November/December, 1984, p. 383, which also provides an arrangement for scanning the draped face of the book. While some arrangements provide for support of the scanned page of the bound volume at 90.degree. with respect to the facing page, others accommodate a larger angle. To this end, GB-B 2,220,759 shows just such an arrangement, deemed gentler on the binding, and also includes an additional ridge support extending into the binding for support. DE-A 1 3546404 shows a roof-shaped supporting book support apparatus in a copier application. This provides good support, but complex optics in the copier arrangement.
Other book supporting arrangements in copying applications include U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,334 to Malyon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,589 to Difulvio et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,950 to Kito, U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,714 to Komori et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,255 to Huber et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,960 to Tracy.
Flat bed scanners of the type contemplated for use in association with this invention are well characterized, by, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,514 to Mine et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,569 (Re. 29,067) to Watson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,159 to Miura; U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,418 to Shirakoshi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,159 to Inokuchi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,917 to Suzuki; U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,570 to Uchiyama; U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,998 to Huntoon; U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,185 to Wiggins; U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,197 to Dannatt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,813 to McGraw et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,041 to Boyd, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,123 to Kadomatsu.
L-shaped fluorescent lamps for book edge scanning are known for optimizing response at a book edge, as shown in Xerox Disclosure Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4, July/August 1991, pages 213 and 214.
All the patents and publications cited hereinabove are incorporated herein by reference.